custom gauges
#1
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Car: 91 Firebird Formula
Engine: 383
Transmission: built 700r4
Axle/Gears: 4.11, 9inch
custom gauges
i was just wondering wat all it would take to make your own gauge cluster or if its possible to put an older camaro one in
i have a 91 formula with the four big gauges in it, not that i dont like the look but i want to put autometers in and well they just dont really have much that fit in the holes and i dont want a 3 inch oil gauge any way
so pictures of and details of what you guys are doin out there would be great
i have a 91 formula with the four big gauges in it, not that i dont like the look but i want to put autometers in and well they just dont really have much that fit in the holes and i dont want a 3 inch oil gauge any way
so pictures of and details of what you guys are doin out there would be great
#2
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Car: 87 camaro
Engine: 2.8L for now
Transmission: t5
Axle/Gears: stock for now
Re: custom gauges
there is a web site that sells blank gauge cluster's our you can have autometer gauges in them. www.covansclassic.com sells them. you should check them out.
#4
Supreme Member
Re: custom gauges
There was a company making digital replacement gauges. I think they are available on summit racing.
You're not gonna find something like an aftermarket gauge for your vehicle other than that I don't believe, unless you go with something universal like aurora, dolphin, or autometer.
When you say an older or newer cluster, are you talking about a third gen only, or perhaps from another vehicle or generation?
The electrical gurus on here could probably tell you what other vehicle clusters will work with your engine, tranny, and gas tank setup, but making the cluster actually fit in the dash would be a total custom job.
But I believe you can interchange the different third gen clusters to an extent. I think mostly it depends on if you're setup for an electric or mechanical gauge setup. I believe on your car, the '91, it should be an electrical setup.
Mathius
You're not gonna find something like an aftermarket gauge for your vehicle other than that I don't believe, unless you go with something universal like aurora, dolphin, or autometer.
When you say an older or newer cluster, are you talking about a third gen only, or perhaps from another vehicle or generation?
The electrical gurus on here could probably tell you what other vehicle clusters will work with your engine, tranny, and gas tank setup, but making the cluster actually fit in the dash would be a total custom job.
But I believe you can interchange the different third gen clusters to an extent. I think mostly it depends on if you're setup for an electric or mechanical gauge setup. I believe on your car, the '91, it should be an electrical setup.
Mathius
#5
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Car: 1971 Camaro
Re: custom gauges
i was just wondering wat all it would take to make your own gauge cluster or if its possible to put an older camaro one in
i have a 91 formula with the four big gauges in it, not that i dont like the look but i want to put autometers in and well they just dont really have much that fit in the holes and i dont want a 3 inch oil gauge any way
so pictures of and details of what you guys are doin out there would be great
i have a 91 formula with the four big gauges in it, not that i dont like the look but i want to put autometers in and well they just dont really have much that fit in the holes and i dont want a 3 inch oil gauge any way
so pictures of and details of what you guys are doin out there would be great
I have a few bezels laying around that I can modify if interested, not sure what I would charge though. There's enough room for a set of round gauges and a 7" monitor in these things.
I can modify one, color and texture it very close to factory color. So it would look pretty stock. I still have the hole-saw bits from when I mounted autometer gauges in my old blazer.
I'm off next week I may play around with one and see what I can come up with
Here's a console plate I modified for a 7" monitor and a round gauge a while back.
#6
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Car: 1985 Trans Am
Engine: 350
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70
Re: custom gauges
If you want aftermarket gauges you're going to need to modify that whole bezel piece and do it yourself. ABS plastic, epoxy, plastic filler and you can do pretty much any setup you like. It's not really hard as much as time consuming. The wiring is annoying as well since GM gives almost no slack to the gauge harness.
#7
Re: custom gauges
The TA dash lends itself pretty good to aftermarket gauges. The big holes are ALMOST big enough for autometer 5" tachs and speedos.
I almost did my dash like above. The first go around I didnt have the scan gauge though. My warning lights were where my scan gauge is now.
The old set up in the old car.
The new set up.
I love those gauges.
J.
I almost did my dash like above. The first go around I didnt have the scan gauge though. My warning lights were where my scan gauge is now.
The old set up in the old car.
The new set up.
I love those gauges.
J.
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#8
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Car: 1984 firebird trans am
Engine: 383 stroker
Transmission: th350
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt posi with 373 ring and pini
Re: custom gauges
those are nice guys i want to do someting like that with my 84 but i have the 4 holes and sont know how to start on doing this maybe someone should write a how to on this
#9
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Car: 88 GTA
Engine: Ls1
Transmission: 4L60E
Axle/Gears: 9 bolt 3.27
Re: custom gauges
You can use abs plastic or fiberglass / filler and fab something into your existing cluster trim by cutting it up. Then mount the gauges in that.
I have a few bezels laying around that I can modify if interested, not sure what I would charge though. There's enough room for a set of round gauges and a 7" monitor in these things.
I have a few bezels laying around that I can modify if interested, not sure what I would charge though. There's enough room for a set of round gauges and a 7" monitor in these things.
#10
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Car: 1971 Camaro
Re: custom gauges
I don't have one layed out, but it's not hard to do. Assuming you have body work experience.
Warning: Make sure everything will fit before you do any cutting.
Just take your factory bezel and cut out the area where your gauges would go.
Then take some felt (I get mine from walmart, some use fleece though) and after spraying the bezel with 3m super 77 glue stretch the material over the bezel. Get it nice and tight, then use hot glue on the back to help the material stay put.
Soak the material in fiberglass resin and let it cure. When it's dry, rough it up a bit and apply a layer of stranded mat and more resin and let it cure. I would do front and back of the bezel for added strength.
After that, knock off the high spots with a sander and then apply a thin layer of body filler, sand, then repeat until smooth.
Then mark the locations for the monitor and guages and cut them out, test fit everything and make sure it's a good fit.
Then apply a coat of SEM texture paint, after it dries apply a SEM color coat in your interior or dash color.
Mount your gauges and your done.
Warning: Make sure everything will fit before you do any cutting.
Just take your factory bezel and cut out the area where your gauges would go.
Then take some felt (I get mine from walmart, some use fleece though) and after spraying the bezel with 3m super 77 glue stretch the material over the bezel. Get it nice and tight, then use hot glue on the back to help the material stay put.
Soak the material in fiberglass resin and let it cure. When it's dry, rough it up a bit and apply a layer of stranded mat and more resin and let it cure. I would do front and back of the bezel for added strength.
After that, knock off the high spots with a sander and then apply a thin layer of body filler, sand, then repeat until smooth.
Then mark the locations for the monitor and guages and cut them out, test fit everything and make sure it's a good fit.
Then apply a coat of SEM texture paint, after it dries apply a SEM color coat in your interior or dash color.
Mount your gauges and your done.
#11
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Car: 1984 firebird trans am
Engine: 383 stroker
Transmission: th350
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt posi with 373 ring and pini
Re: custom gauges
thanks there trans am freak i do have some body work experience hod to repair a panle peace on my fironce torrus after she got rear ended so its not to hard for me to do
#12
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Car: 91 Firebird Formula
Engine: 383
Transmission: built 700r4
Axle/Gears: 4.11, 9inch
Re: custom gauges
wow karps sumthin like that would be perfect for me problem is i dont tend to be the best fabricator but nice job very well done
i think im gunna try sumthin like ghetto cruisers first and go from there
thnx for all the help guys
zig
i think im gunna try sumthin like ghetto cruisers first and go from there
thnx for all the help guys
zig
#13
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Car: 86 Trans Am, 92 Firebird
Engine: 408 sbc, 3.1L of raw power
Transmission: TKO600, T5
Axle/Gears: Moser 9", 3:70 trutac, 3:23 torsion
Re: custom gauges
this is what i did for my bird, no mods to the dash at all, just the pod.
check it out
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/elec...tory-bird.html
check it out
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/elec...tory-bird.html
#14
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Car: 88 formula
Engine: 350 goin carb
Transmission: 700r4
Re: custom gauges
this is a quick job i did in about 3 hours using plexiglass. i will be re-doing it with other materials now that i know i like the look. maybe not.. it is a race car lol
#15
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Re: custom gauges
The TA dash lends itself pretty good to aftermarket gauges. The big holes are ALMOST big enough for autometer 5" tachs and speedos.
I almost did my dash like above. The first go around I didnt have the scan gauge though. My warning lights were where my scan gauge is now.
The old set up in the old car.
The new set up.
I love those gauges.
J.
I almost did my dash like above. The first go around I didnt have the scan gauge though. My warning lights were where my scan gauge is now.
The old set up in the old car.
The new set up.
I love those gauges.
J.
Last edited by drknow90rs_ss@y; 04-26-2009 at 12:37 AM.
#18
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Car: 1984 firebird trans am
Engine: 383 stroker
Transmission: th350
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt posi with 373 ring and pini
Re: custom gauges
has anyone dont this to there 84 style brezel
#21
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Car: 1984 firebird trans am
Engine: 383 stroker
Transmission: th350
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt posi with 373 ring and pini
Re: custom gauges
im trying to do the set up that karps did. but before i start fiber glassing everything and mess up everything. how would i go about doing this.
#22
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Car: 92 Camaro RS
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700R4
Re: custom gauges
Last edited by guillory350; 05-10-2009 at 07:53 AM.
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